Ok, I have searched all over the internet for this, and I've found nobody with my problem. When I go to talk to the High elf (Faralda) that guards the entrance to winterhold, the normal dialouge passes, but when I ask to take her entry test, she says: "I'm sorry, your skills are not adequete enough to be considered by the college", or something along those lines. This then opens a dialouge option for me to ask what she means by "I'm not good enough". Apparently at this point she's supposed to sell me the spells I would need to pass the tests, but she won't even let me start the test! D: Please help, I'd really like to get started on the College stuff and learn some new spells.

May I ask what level you are? Sometimes you have to be a specific level to start things. It's usually around level ten or something like that. I have the worst magic skills in all of Tamriel, and she let me in, so it's probably nothing to do with magic skills.

It should be clear you dont have the adequate skills to enter the college. Go to a junior college first to prove your worth. On a more serious notee these people are probably right that you need to lvl up first maybe.

The UESP article on First Lessons[www.uesp.net] might help you figure out what the problem is. I got in straight away, but I don't remember the details. I may have already become the Dragonborn by then.

You need to cast a spell to prove to her you can enter, also cast it onto the ground in front of her not at her or she'll take it as an assault.

Doubt it's due to lacking much magic knowledge I only knew about 3 spells and she still let me in, luckily the spell she asked me to cast, Flame Atronach, was one of the ones i knew. Even if you don't know any spells she'll let you purchase one.

Ok, well actually I think I found the problem. She told me I need to be able to cast Apprentice level spells to enter, which even though I CAN cast apprentice spells, you are only considered an "apprentice" leveled mage in a school once your skill in that area of magic hits 25, and the highest I have is a 23 in illusion. I'm guessing this is the problem, so I'll just boost my skills up a bit and see if that works!

As soon as I got out of Helgen at the very beginning, and ended up in Riverwood.... from there you're told to go talk to Jarl Balgruf in Whiterun....

But instead, I skipped that, and took the Carriage straight to Winterhold, walked up to Faralda and she demanded I take her "test"... she then offered me the spell needed to take her tests... then she let me into the college.

I was still Level 1, at the time... almost level 2...I had to kill a few wild animals on my way from Riverwood to the Whiterun carriage...

I then did the "First Lesson's" quest, at which point I was able to use Faralda to train my destruction magic, and with JUST the Exp gained from her training, I reached level 16 and managed to put all the perks from those level ups, into Destruction and Restoraton, just to get started...

I was the Archmage by the time I was level 30; and I still had not yet started the "Before the Storm" quest to go inform the Jarl of Whiterun about the Dragon attack at Helgen... nor had I yet joined either side in the Civil War.

My Archmage continued to explore Skyrim and delve into dungeons, until she reached Level 55 and had mastered 100 points in all schools of magic, had full perks in destruction, restoration, 75% perks in conjuration, just enough perks in the rest to get the master level spells for those, including master perk in Enchanting... at which point I finally ...

Finally...

Went to Jarl Balgruf of Whiterun and reported that a dragon had attacked Helgen... AFTER, a significant amount of "game time" had already passed by since the attack took place! LOL

There are no "requirements" to get into the College... and Faralda should offer you the spells you need to pass her "tests"... and you can get into the College at level 1!!

I did.

I did it without any mods to the character nor mods to magic use... I started this character as an Altmer High Elf, the same race as Faralda... Also while in Riverwood, you're given the chance to loot the home of your chosen benefactor (Hadvar or Ralof) .. you are given the key to their house, and they offer you anything they have to "help you get started" ... this is your chance, as a Level 1, to loot up and get some starting money... also Gerdur's husband at the Riverwood mill, will buy lumber from you if you cut wood at the mill... plenty of opportunities to leave Riverwood as a Level 1 with a pocket full of gold!! Unless you arrive in Riverwood too late at night, then they won't offer you any items and instead just direct you on to the Jarl of Whiterun...

So I arrived at Winterhold via Carriage from Whiterun, with a pocket full of several hundred gold, at Level 1 ... and immediately started focus on creating a Mage Only character to play the game as.